My Covid-19 and later projects

[John Fenna]

Project 76
Nettle fibre whisk brushes
Simple brushes made from nettle fibre on hazel handles (notched to hold the nettle fibre cordage securing ties)....

 

[Mesquite]

Very neat John

 

[Brizzlebush]

Very nice indeed.
What size are they?

 

[John Fenna]

The small one is 8" long and the big one 18" - both made from the same bunch of nettles (the small one from the trimmings from the large one) and the same stick.

 

[John Fenna]

Project 77
A couple of small ones - a cup lid and some "display" tins...
At the BcUK Bushmoot I realised I needed a lid for a small measuring cup .. so I begged a self tapping screw from a pal, cut some Hasel and turned the lid of the tube my whisky came in into a perfect lid!

To display small items I lined and covered some empty cigar tins with felt, leather and "sniper tape".


Love makes the world go round ...Lust makes it all go pear-shaped!

 

[Minotaur]

I love those tins! They are great for those military/old school scout shirt front pockets.

 

[John Fenna]

Project 78
Another version of my MOD tarp hammock
Simply take an MOD tarp (this one cost me £9.00 at the Bushcraft UK BushMoot bring and buy), sew up one side with Paracord through holes melted in the webbing tape edges, inset poles with "stoppers" nailed in to stop hanger slippage and hang on spliced rope loops/treehuggers ... jobs a good un!

 

[John Fenna]

I now have 3 hammocks all the same so needed more spreaders ... Volvo roof rails came to my aid

 

[John Fenna]

Project 79
Aluminium cookset and stove

Recently I have acquired, from various sources but little money, an Alu meths burner and an Alu (Belgian?) military mug. In practice the mug and stove needed a better windshield than the cruciform pot stand (and one I tried to make from more of those cigar tins ... failed ...) so when I saw an Alu nesting 3 pan and frying pan set - complete with pot grab and strap for £3.50 I got an idea....
The smallest pan I cut into and drilled to turn it into a windshield for the burner and I made a new Alu lid for the mug and turned a stainless steel plate into a lid/plate for the next size up pan. The "snuffer" is the steel lid from a whisky bottle's cardboard outer packaging.
I now have a nesting stove/mug/pan set that will be good for the odd brew or cooking for 3/4 people - and it cost £3.50 and a couple of swaps for gear I no longer had use for

 

[Mesquite]

Nice work John

 

[John Fenna]

Project 80
"The House at Poo Corner" remodeled

Thanks to a bit of deadfall taking out the tarp over the poo trench toilet in the corner of the woods that I have permission to camp in, I decided to remodel the set up.
The old Flectarn tarp was beyond repair so it was replaced with an Aldi Special Buy tarp - but it stuck out like a sore thumb so I covered it with a camo net. More camo net gives a bit of privacy and my old pirate flag gives warning...
As some of my Bushcraft Pals are getting a bit old and stiff I decided to make life easier for them and (although I am happy using the "Krap Strap" a rope with a strop prussiked on to it, which goes around you so you can squat with the weight taken by the strop...) I built a "Camp Commode".
This is just like one of the camp chairs I have been making for decades - but without a seat, and with turned wood "rails" for comfort.
I hope they appreciate my efforts!

The basic idea of the Krap Strap - it can be worn higher with equal practicality ... best drop the shorts for use....

 

[John Fenna]

Project 81

3 legged stools

I had fun teaching myself how to make a 3 legged stool

The stools are a cross between a milking stool and a cutlers buffers stool, three of the four have seats split from a round of Ash that was felled at work as it had Ash Die-back disease, the fourth (and largest) seat is from a French Oak floorboard gifted to me by a friend who lives in France (thanks Aaron!). Three of the stools have Hazel roundwood legs, one has Willow roundwood legs and all the legs are fitted with a slightly tapered friction fit, then wedged and glued as well, end-grain is charred to try and minimize moisture absorption and rot, then the whole stool was heavily oiled with Tung Oil and waxed with a home made beeswax wood polish. The general look was intentionally "rustic" . My favourites are the Oak seated one and the pale Ash seated one, though all work very well, are stable and fairly comfortable (but could do with a nice padded cushion!). The stools will mainly be used as hammock side seats (to make changing footwear more stable), bedside tables and as a leg up to get those tarp ridgelines nice and high

 

[SaraR]

They look lovely!

 

[Minotaur]

Nice looking stools.
What is your recipe for home made beeswax polish?

 

[John Fenna]

Over the years I have used various oils - linseed, teak, walnut, tung etc etc , and in different proportions to pure beeswax to give soft and hard waxes

 

[Minotaur]

Just re-read thread and saw recipes on page 11. Thanks John.

 

[John Fenna]

Project 82
Foraging pouch
Using up scraps, odds and bits of an old leather jacket - the drawcord is actually the lace from one of my wife's (worn out) walking boots... I am not all that pleased with the result as the pouch leather was to bulky for the "closure" and belt loop bit - but the next one will be better

 

[John Fenna]

Project 83
Antler Handled knife and two sheaths

A while ago I picked up some "Vintage" table knives for a song - with the intention of turning some of the very early "Stainless Steel" blades into belt knives ... I also wanted a new sheath for a rehandled Mora that I made ages ago... I ground up the blade to the shape I wanted then fixed it into the antler tine (stabilized with Cyanoacrilate glue) with epoxy. The sheaths are wet moulded veg tan leather sewn with artificial sinew and given a light "antique" finish...

 

[John Fenna]

Project 84
Another antique stainless steel cutlery blade turned into a belt knife.
This time a Viners De Luxe Stainless Steel blade (established 1901 in Sheffield ceased trading 1960s - my blade around 1920/30) cut down and reground to make a light duties belt knife.
The sheath is 2.8mm Veg tan sewn with linen thread and made with an associated and removable dangler strap. An "antique finish" was applied to the leather and old scratches (and new) were left on the blade to try and make it look ..... antique!
The handle is Beech (from an old rolling pin!) with a Danish oil and wax finish.

 

[Mesquite]

Looks good John

How long is the blade?